Automatic dishwasher and meal table



Jan. 29, 1963 E. MARUE AUTOMATIC DISHWASHER AND MEAL TABLE 3Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 8, 1961 Jan. 29, 1963 E. MARUE Filed June 8.1961 United States Patent 3,075,215 AUTOMATIC DHSHWAEHER AND NEEAL TABLEEdward Marne, 856d Aura Ava, Northridge, Calif. Filed June 53, 1961, er.No. 115,693 3 Claims. (Cl. -77) The present invention relates toautomatic meal tables, and it relates more particularly to an improvedmeal serving table for use in a household or in restaurants, by means ofwhich the dispensing of meals and the washing of utensils arefacilitated to a large extent.

The present invention is a continuation-in-part of copending applicationSerial No. 42,248 filed July 12, 1960, in the name of the presentinventor, and now abandoned.

The time consuming and repetitious operations normally carried out inthe serving of a meal and in later washing the dishes has changed littlein the last several hundred years. Indeed, except for the use ofdishwashing machines in some instances, the methods have changed littlesince dishes were first used. Dishwashing machinery, moreover, has notchanged the situation materially, since a multitude of handling andrinsing operations are still required.

An important object of the present invention is to provide an improvedautomatic table by which all the operations, such as clearing the tableand washing the dishes, previously considered necessary in servingmeals, are elirninated.

A more particular object of the invention is to provide such an improvedautomtaic table which is constructed so that a new meal may be servedafter the completion of a previous meal without the necessity ofremoving the dirty dishes and cutlery, or of otherwise cleaning thetable after the previous meal.

Another object of the invention is to provide such an improved automatictable which may be constructed to provide any number of settings as aparticular application may require.

Y et another object of the invention is to provide such an improvedautomatic table which is simple and inexpensive in its construction, andyet which operates with a high degree of efiiciency to fulfill itsintended ptupose.

The improved automatic table of the present invention in the embodimentto be described includes a housing having one or more serving trayspivotally mounted flush with its top surface. in accordance with onefeature of the illustrated embodiment of the invention, food servingcavities are formed on both sides of each tray, thus enabling a newsetting to be pr vided and a used setting to be placed in a positionfacing the interior of the housing so that it ma I be cleaned in amanner to be described, this being achieved merely by rotating theparticular tray through 180 degrees. This means that the serving traysneed not be lifted out, or otherwise removed, from the housing forcleaning purposes.

Another feature of the invention in the embodiment to be described isthe provision or" one or more rotating and reciprocally movable scouringbrushes within the housing, these brushes being positioned to move backand forth across the interior-facing surfaces of the trays so as tosubject such surfaces to a vigorous and rapid scouring action.

Yet another feature of the invention in the embodiment to be describedis the provision of a waste disposal unit and of screw conveyors in thehousing, the conveyors serving to move the waste material and sore sfrom the trays towards and into thewaste disposal unit.

A further feature of the invention is the provision of magnetic meanswithin the housing for attracting and retaining cutlery and othertableware which may accidentally drop into the housing, so as to preventsuch items from being drawn into the waste disposal unit.

The above and other features of the invention which are believed to benew are set forth in the claims. The invention itself, however, togetherwith other objects and advantages thereof may best be understood byreference to the following description, when taken in conjunction withthe accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an automatic meal table constructed inaccordance with one embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the table of FIGURE 1, on a slightlyenlarged scale with respect to FIGURE 1, and broken away to reveal aninternal screw conveyor and associated elements within the housing ofthe automatic table;

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view of the table of FIGURE 1, takensubstantially along the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a longitudinal section of the table, taken substantiallyalong the line 4-4 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a top plan view of a preferred serving tray adapted for usein the table of FIGURES 1-4.

FIGURE 6 is a cross-sectional view of the tray of FIGURE 5, takensubstantially along the lines 6-6 of FIGURE 5, and revealing the mannerin which food receiving cavities may be formed onboth sides of theserving tray;

FIGURE 7 is a top plan view of the table of FIGURE 1, similar to theview of FIGURE 2, but on a reduced scale with respect to FIGURE 2 andwith the top removed so as to reveal a pair of scouring brushes Withinthe housing, and this view also reveals the manner in which thesebrushes are mounted for rotary and reciprocal motion;

FlGURE 8 is a schematic diagram illustrating the manner in whichappropriate electrical connections may be made to various componentswithin the automatic table of FIGURE 1; and

FlGURE 9 is a fragmentary view showing a modified form of the automatictable of the invention.

Reference will now be made to the drawings for a more detailedexplanation of the illustrated embodiment of the invention. Theautomatic table illustrated in the drawings includes a housing 11 havinga hollow bottom support portion 12 and which supports a table top lb onits upper surface. The table top ltl is rigidly attached to the housing11 and held thereby at the height of a usual meal table.

The table top it has a plurality of rectangular apertures 13 extendingthrough it, four of these apertures being illustrated in the embodimentunder consideration. A corresponding plurality of serving trays 14 arepivotally mounted in respective ones of the apertures 13. As shown inFIGURE 2, for example, the serving trays 14 may be pivoted in the tabletop 11 by appropriate pivot pins 16. The trays 14 are pivotallysupported in the rectangular apertures 13 in the table tepid in a mannerto be flush with the upper surface 15 of the table top. Suitable springloaded pins 16a extend into the edges of the respective trays 14 toprevent the pivotal movement of the trays until the pins 16a are pulledto an extended position.

The serving trays 14 may have the configuration illustrated in FIGURES 5and 6. The illustrated trays have identical cavities formed on bothsides, so'that a new table setting can be provided merely by rotatingthe corresponding serving tray through degrees.

The serving tray in of FIGURES 5 and 6 includes, for example, a foodreceiving cavity 17 on each face which is intended to hold the maincourse of the meal. There is also provided a soup cavity 18, which maybe somewhat deeper than the cavity 17. A cavity 19 is also provided forbread, a cavity Zil for salad, and a cavity 21' for dessert. The cavity22 may receive a juice tumbler 25 (FIGURE 1); the cavity 23 may receivea water glass 26, and the cavity 2% may receive a coffee cup 27.Appropriate means may be provided in the cavities 22, 23 and 24 forfrictionally retaining the glass and cups in the cavities so that theywill not fall out when the tray is reversed for washing purpo es.

A plurality of holding clips 2% are also provided for holding thecutlery. it will be appreciated that when the meal is completed, theglasses, tumblers and cups are insorted in their appropriate cavitiesand the used cultery is set in the various clips 28. Then, theparticular serving tray 14 is reversed so that the used side faces theinterior of the housing 11. This reversal of the tray brings a newsetting on its reverse side flush with the table top. This new settingwill include cleaned glasses, tumblers and cups, as well as cleanedcutlery and cleaned food receiving cavities.

As best shown in FIGURE 3, a resilient gasket 29 is niounted in the rimof each of the'scrving trays l4, and this gasket engages the innersurface or" the corresponding rectangular aperture 13. The gasket 29serves to form a watertight seal around the edge of the correspondingserving tray, so as to assure that it will be established in watertightrelationship with the table top ltd. it is evident, of course, that thegasket is? could be mounted in a groove in the table top it rather thanin the groove in the serving tray 14, as illustrated.

The serving tray i4 and the table top lit, in cooperation with thehousing 11 form a cleaning compartment 3% in which various cleaningoperations are carried out, as will be described.

The food itself may be served from platters which may be placed on anupper serving platform 3 As illustrated, this platform extends thelength of the serving table. The platform is supported in a plane abovethe plane of the top surface 15 by suitable vertical columns 32. As bestshown in FIGURE 7, these columns may be a received inappropriate sockets32a formed at each end of the housing 11.

Positioned within the cleaning compartment 3% and extending lengthwiseof the housing 11 is a screw conveyor 33. The screw conveyor 33 isrotatably mounted within the cleaning compartment 3% any appropriatemanner and by any appropriate bearings. As shown in FEGURE 3, forexample, the screw conveyor 33 is positioned at the bottom of thecleaning compartment 3%, and the compartment and housin 11 has such aconfiguration, that food scraps and other waste materials cleaned fromthe under sides of the serving trays 1d are all caused to {all into thepath of the screw conveyor 33.

T he screw conveyor 33 includes leit and right hand portions (FIGURE 2)which are oppositely driven so that the food scraps are all drawn by theportions inwardly towards a vertically positioned disposal duct 3%, asbest shown in FEGURE 4. Y

T he upper mouth of the disposal duct 3 is surrounded by a permanentmagnet 3'7, and this serves to attract and retain cutlery and otherutensils which accidentally fall into the cleaning compartment 3%. inthis manner, these items are held from entering the disposal duct 34.

A short screw conveyor 35 extends vertically in the disposal duct 34,and the latter conveyor is mechanically coupled to the conveyor 33through the illustrated arrangernent of the gears 35a and 33a. The screwconveyor 35 extends into a disposal unit 3d, and the disposal unitincludes a usual electric motor which not only drives the disposalmechanism, but also drives the conveyor 35, and causes it to drive theleft hand and right hand portions of the conveyor 33 in oppositedirections through the gear system 33a, 35a.

The left and right hand portions of the conveyor 33 and the conveyor 35cooperate to force all the scraps of food into the disposal duct 34, anddown into the disposal unit 36 to be discharged through a usual wastepipeline 36a. The section is such that all scraps of food are drivenfrom the cleaning chamber (it? in the interior of the housing ll anddischarged through the pipeline 36a. This action, in cooperation withother cleansing operations to be described, assures that no food remainsin the unit itself, so that unsanitary conditions and odors areeliminated.

The components within the cleaning chamber 30 are electrically energizedby an electric switch 39, this switch being actuated by appropriateswitch buttons 33. The switch 39 and push buttons 38 are illustrated inFIG- URE 3 as being conveniently positioned within the upper platform31. However, the switch and push buttons obviously may have any otherconvenient position. A timer 4%"? for sequencing the mechanicaloperations of the mechanism, is positioned within the base of the unit,as shown in FEGURE 3.

A plurality of hot water pipes d1 are mounted on both sides of thehousing 11 within the cleaning compartment 39, as best shown in FEGURES3 and 4. These water pipes are aperturecl, and they are so positionedthat when pressurized hot water is introduced into them, resulting hotwater streams or sprays issue from the apertures and impinge on theunder-side of the serving trays i l to clean and rinse the trays.

Spaced between each of the water pipes 41 are a plurality of liquiddetergent pipes 42. The liquid detergent pipes 4-2 are also apertured,and are so positioned that when pressurized liquid detergent isintroduced into these pipes, resulting detergent sprays are directedtowards the under-side of the serving trays 14. It is evident, that theliquid detergent pipes 42 and the hot Water pipes 41 can be combinedinto a single set of apertured pipelines, with the hot water and liquiddetergent being selectively introduced to the system.

As best shown in FIGURES 3, 4 and 7 a pair of scouring brushes 43 arepositioned in the cleaning chamber St) for rotational and reciprocalmotion. For this purpose, the scouring brushes 4% are mounted on shafts45 which, in turn, are rotatably mounted in guide strips 44. The guidestrips 44 are mounted in the cleaning chamber 30 by any appropriatemeans, and in the illustrated positions. Each of the guide strips has anarrow slot extending along its length, and the shafts 45 are free tomove reciprocally in these slots.

A lead screw 6 3 (FIGURE 7) is rotatably mounted in the housing 11 byany suitable means, and the lead screw extends across the housingbetween the two central guide strips 44. The lead screw 69 is rotatablydriven by a drive motor 62 (FEGURE 8). A threaded bearing member 64 issupported on the lead screw, and rotation of the lead screw cau es themember 54 to move back and forth across the cleaning chamber 3-9 in thehousing 11. The shafts d5 of the securing brushes 53 extend into thebearing member dd, and are rotatably supported tierein. A drive motor 65for the shafts is supported on the member 64. The drive motor 65 isenergized in any appropri ate manner, and it is appropriately coupled tothe shafts to impart rotational motion to the scouring brushes 43.

A pair of limit switches 7% are provided, and these limit switches areengaged by the threaded bearing member 64 at each extremity of itstravel. The limit switches 79 are connected to the drive motor 62, andthey cause the drive motor to reverse its drive of the lead screw 69 inknown manner as the member 64 reaches either extremity. In this way, solong as the drive motor 62 is energized, the scouring brushes 43 arecaused to move reciprocally back and forth across the cleaning chamber34).

As best shown in FIGURE 3, the scouring brushes 43 are positioned sothat their bristles will extend into intimate contact with the undersurface of the trays 14 as the brushes move back and forth under thecontrol of the drive motor 62, and these scouring brushes serve toremove all scraps and particles from the underside of the trays, as theyare rotated by the drive motor 66.

A blower 47 is mounted within the housing 11, and this blower serves tointroduce a blast of pressurized hot air through a duct 49. The hot airemerges from an aperture 48 at the upper end of the duct, and isdirected across the under-sides of the serving trays in the cleaningchamber 30, and out through a return duct 50.

In the modification of the invention shown in FIG- URE 9, the platform31 is represented as 52, and is equipped with leaves 51. When theseleaves are opened out, they cooperate with the platform 52 to provide aflat uninterrupted top over the unit. For this purpose, the supports 32are telescopically received by the sockets 32a in a frictionalengagement to permit the top surface to be moved up and down at will.Set screws 32b may be provided to hold the supports in any desired axialposition in the sockets 32a. It is evident, that when the leaves 51 areturned out fiushwith the platform 52, and when the supports 32 aretelescoped down into the sockets 32a, the resulting assembly may be usedfor any usual table purposes. On the other hand, when the leaves 51 areturned in on the platform 52, and the assembly raised to a position,such as the position of the platform 31 in FIGURE 3, the assembly mayserve the above-mentioned function of supporting platters of food.

FIGURE 8 is useful in explaining the sequence in which the variousmechanical operations of the automatic table of the invention maybe'carried out.

As illustrated in the electrical diagram of FIGURE 8, the timer 40 has acommon terminal A which is connected through the switch 39 to oneterminal of a typical 110 volt alternating current source. This sourceis also connected through the switch 39 to a pair of input terminals E1and E2 which serve to energize the timer. The timer 40 operates in knownmanner to establish a timed sequence, a connection between the commonterminal A and a plurality of output terminals B, C, D, E and F.

When the switch 39 is first closed, the timer is energized, and servesto establish a connection between the terminals A and B. After aparticular time interval, the connection between the terminals A and Bis broken, and a connection is established between the terminals A andC; this making and breaking switching action continues in a timed mannerbetween the common terminal A, and the output terminals D, E and F; andit then repeats in a cyclic manner. Conversely, the timer 40 may bedesigned in known manner to become de-energized after a first cycle ofoperations, and to repeat its cycle, only after the switch 39 has beenopened and closed once again.

The output terminal E of the timer 4!) is connected to a solenoid valve71 which is positioned in a pipeline 72 extending from an appropriatehot water source to the perforated pipes 41. The other terminal of thesolenoid valve 71 is returned to the other side of the 110 voltalternating current source. Whenever the solenoid valve 71 is energized,it opens to permit pressurized hot water to be introduced to theperforated pipes 41.

The output terminal B of the timer 40 is also connected to a motor 36a.This motor is positioned in the waste disposal unit 36 of FIGURE 3, andit serves to drive the waste disposal unit, and also to drive theconveyors 33 and 35.

The output terminal C of the timer 40 is connected to one terminal of asolenoid valve 74. This latter solenoid valve 74 is positioned in apipeline 76. The latter pipeline serves to couple the perforated pipes42 to an appropriate source of liquid detergent. The other terminal ofthe solenoid valve 74 is returned to the other side of the 110 voltalternating current source. When the solenoid valve 74 is energized, thevalve opens so that pressurized liquid detergent may be passed to theperforated pipes 42.

The output terminal D of the timer 4% is connected to 6 one terminal ofthe motor 66. This motor, as described in conjunction with FIGURE 7,imparts rotational motion to the brushes 43. The other terminal of themotor 66 is returned to the other side of the 110 volt alternatingcurrent source.

The terminal D of the timer 40' is also connected to a control unit 78.This control unit is connected to the limit switches 70 and also to themotor 62. The motor 62 shown in block form in FIGURE 8, as describedabove, serves to impart reciprocating linear motion to the brushes 43.

The internal circuitry of. the control unit 78 may take any known form,and need not be described in detail herein. This unit serves to reversethe connections to the drive motor 62 under the control of the limitswitches 70, so that the desired reciprocating motion of the brushes 43may be realized. The control unit also responds to energization over alead 80 from the volt alternating current source to return the brushesto a desired central position, as shown in FIGURE 3, after the action ofthe timer 40 has broken the connection between the common terminal A andthe terminal D.

When the switch 3? is closed, the timer 40 is energized, and aconnection is established first between the terminals A and B. Thiscauses a spray of hot water to emerge from the perforated pipes 41 andto be directed against the under-sides of the trays 14. This hot waterspray serves as a pro-rinse for the trays, and loosens the foodparticles. At the same time, the motor 36:: is energized, so that theconveyors rotate and carry the food particles to the waste disposal unit36.

After a pre-selected time interval, as established by the timer 40, theconnection between the terminals A and B is broken to turn olf thepre-n'nse sprays and a connection is established between the terminals Aand C, so that the liquid detergent may be sprayed on the underside ofthe trays 14 through the perforations in the pipes 42. After a furtherpredetermined interval, the connection between the terminals A and C isbroken to turn off the detergent spray, and a connection is establishedbetween the terminals A and D. This latter connection energizes themotors 62 and 66 so that the brushes 43 are activated to scour theinterior surfaces of the trays in the described manner.

At the completion of the scouring operation, the timer 40 breaks theconnection between the terminals A and D and establishes a connectionbetween the terminals A and E. This latter connection reactivates thehot water sprays from the perforated pipes 41 and reactivates theconveyors 33 and 35 and the waste disposal 36. At the completion of thesecond rinse, the connection between the terminals A and E is broken,and a connection is established between the terminals A and F. Thislatter connection energizes the motor 47a for the blower 47 and causes ahot blast of air to be blown into the cleaning chamber 30. The air blastis heated by any known means, and it serves to thoroughly dry theinterior surfaces of the trays 14, so as to render the trays suitablefor the next setting.

The invention provides, therefore, an improved automatic table whichgreatly facilitates the dispensing of meals, both at home and inrestaurants. in accordance with the concepts of the invention, all thematerials necessary for serving a meal are supported or formed inpivoted trays. At the completion of any meal, the corresponding tray ispivotally rotated through degrees. This exposes the used utensils to thecleaning chamber, and also immediately brings a new setting to the tabletop.

The described embodiment of the invention is advantageous in that athorough cleaning action is obtained through the joint action ofscouring brushes, detergent sprays and hot water rinses. Also, all foodparticles are removed from the unit itself by the described conveyors,and brought into a waste disposal unit. This prevents 7 the formation ofunsanitary conditions and bad odors from the equipment.

Whiie a particular embodiment of the invention has been shown anddescribed, modifications may be made and it is intended in the appendedclaims to never all such modifications that fallwithin the true spiritand scope of the invention.

I claim:

' 1. An automatic mealrtable including: a housing, a table top mountedon said housing and having at least one aperture therein, support meansmounted on said housing and extending upwardly from said'table top,aserving platform mounted on said support means and extending parallelto said table top in spaced relationship with said table top, at leastone serving tray pivotally mounted in said aperture and including aplurality of food receiving cavities formed on at least one sidethereof, at least one scouring brush mounted in said housing forrotatable and reciprocal movement, said brush being positioned to engagethe under side ofsaid serving tray and the food receiving cavitiestherein upon such reciprocal movement, means for rotatably driving saidbrush and for reciprocally driving said brush across the under side ofsaid serving tray, spray means positioned in said housing for sprayinghot water and liquid detergent upon the under side of said serving tray,blower means positioned in said housing for introducing pressurized hotair tothe under side of said tray, a disposal duct coupled to saidhousing, electrically activated waste disposal means positioned in'said'disp'osal duct, and electrically activated screw conveyor meanspositioned in said housing for directing waste particles from theserving tray to the entrance of said disposal duct.

'2. The automatic meal table defined in claim 1 and which includesmagnetic means mounted in said housing and surrounding the entrance tosaid disposal duct for attracting and retaining metallic articlesdropped from said serving tray into said housing so as to prevent sucharticles from being drawn into said Waste disposal'rneans.

3. The meal table defined in ciairn 1 and in Whichsaid support means aremovable with respect to said housing to permit said serving platform tobe lowered down over said table top, and in which said support platformincludes leaves to permit it to cover the area of said'tabic top' with aflat surface.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS ScharaMay 19, 1959

1. AN AUTOMATIC MEAL TABLE INCLUDING: A HOUSING, A TABLE TOP MOUNTED ONSAID HOUSING AND HAVING AT LEAST ONE APERTURE THEREIN, SUPPORT MEANSMOUNTED ON SAID HOUSING AND EXTENDING UPWARDLY FROM SAID TABLE TOP, ASERVING PLATFORM MOUNTED ON SAID SUPPORT MEANS AND EXTENDING PARALLEL TOSAID TABLE TOP IN SPACED RELATIONSHIP WITH SAID TABLE TOP, AT LEAST ONESERVING TRAY PIVOTALLY MOUNTED IN SAID APERTURE AND INCLUDING APLURALITY OF FOOD RECEIVING CAVITIES FORMED ON AT LEAST ONE SIDETHEREOF, AT LEAST ONE SCOURING BRUSH MOUNTED IN SAID HOUSING FORROTATABLE AND RECIPROCAL MOVEMENT, SAID BRUSH BEING POSITIONED TO ENGAGETHE UNDER SIDE OF SAID SERVING TRAY AND THE FOOD RECEIVING CAVITIESTHEREIN UPON SUCH RECIPROCAL MOVEMENT, MEANS FOR ROTATABLY DRIVING SAIDBRUSH AND FOR RECIPROCALLY DRIVING SAID BRUSH ACROSS THE UNDER SIDE OFSAID SERVING TRAY, SPRAY MEANS POSITIONED IN SAID HOUSING FOR SPRAYINGHOT WATER AND LIQUID DETERGENT UPON THE UNDER SIDE OF SAID SERVING TRAY,BLOWER MEANS POSITIONED IN SAID HOUSING FOR INTRODUCING PRESSURIZED HOTAIR TO THE UNDER SIDE OF SAID TRAY, A DISPOSAL DUCT COUPLED TO SAIDHOUSING, ELECTRICALLY ACTIVATED WASTE DISPOSAL MEANS POSITIONED IN SAIDDISPOSAL DUCT, AND ELECTRICALLY ACTIVATED SCREW CONVEYOR MEANSPOSITIONED IN SAID HOUSING FOR DIRECTING WASTE PARTICLES FROM THESERVING TRAY TO THE ENTRANCE OF SAID DISPOSAL DUCT.